Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LOCK DEVICE
THIS INVE NTION relates to locks. In particular, it is directed to a lock
which
finds especial, but not limiting, use as a lock for a motor vehfcle or motor
cycle.
Unfortunately, theft of motorised transport is a fact of modern society. Theft
of motor cycles is.a particular concern as the recovery of stolen cycles is
significantly lower than motor vehicles. Authorities have suggested th.at the
portability of a motor cycle, the ease of mixing and matching of its parts and
the greater potential to use motor cycles without registration contribute to
this
higher theft rate. There is thus a market for devices which eliminate, or at
least greatly reduce, the likelihood of theft of such transport.
When the transport is a motor vehicle or motor cycle, prior art anti-theft
devices usually provide some form of mechanical lock for one or more wheels
of the vehicle or cycle. For motor cycles, such locks include chains or rods
that pass through the spokes of the cycle wheel and which are then secured
to, as examples, (a) a fixed point such as a post or ring set in the ground or
(b) to the frame of the actual cycle.
A disadvantage of these prior art devices is that they are often cumbersome
to operate andlor require the carrying of the chains or rods by the rider of
the
;0 motor oycle which, at best, is inconvenient and, often, impractical.
It is thus a general object to overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more
of
the above disadvantages'.
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According to the present invention, there is provided a looking device for a
vehicle that has at least one ground-engaging wheel, said device including:
a housing;
a first arm having one end pivotelly connected within said housing and
its opposing other end extending from said housing, said first arm
ti adapted to pivot between a first open position and a second looked
position;
a second arm substantially opposed to said first arm and having one
end pivotalty connected within said housing and its opposing other end
extending from said housing, said second _ arm adapted to pivot
between a first open position and a second locked position; and
a linkage external to said housing and pivotally connected between said
first arm and said second arm;
wherein said first arm, said second arm and said linkage are adapted
such that, upon sufficient forcible contact of said wheel with said linkage
In a first direction substantially towards said housing, said first arm and
said second arm can pivot from respective said first open position to
respective said second locked position to flank and secure said wheef;
and wherein, upon subsequent sufficient forcible contact of said wheel
at or near respective said other end of said first arm and/Qr said second
arm in a second direction substantially opposed to said first direction,
said first arm and said second arm can pivot from respective said
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second closed position to respective said first open position to release
said wheef.
Preferably,-said device further includes a keyed laoking meohanism to prevent
said release of said wheel when secured by said first arm. and said second
arm by movement of said wheel in said second direction.
Preferably, said locking mechanism is contained within said housing.
Preferably, said housing is adapted to prevent unauthorised access to
components therein,
Preferably, said first arm and said second arm are each substantially arcuate
in shape at or near said other end,
( A Preferably, said linkage comprises a central link pivotally connected at
each
end to a respective outer link, the respectiue other end of each respective
outer link being pivotally connected to respective said first arm and said
second arm.
Preferably, said one end of said first arm and said one end of said second arm
1 S are connected together by a series of pivotable links.
Preferably, said device includes a stop within said housing to assist in
locating
said first arm and said second arm in said first open position.
Preferably, said device includes a spring connected to one of said series of
pivotable links to assist in locating said first arm and said second arm in
said
20 first open positian.
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,Preferably, said device. is permanently secured ta the ground.
Optionally, two or more of said device can be deployed, either as separate or
integrated units, In one such option, when two of said device are used, they
can find especial use to lock bcth wheels of a motor cycle or the two front or
two rear wheeis (or one of each) of a motor vehicle,
~ A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference
to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a lock.ing device constructed in accordance
with the present invention in an open positiori with the lid of the housing
removed;
tt) FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of the device of FIG. I with the lid
affixed and in a closed position;
FiG, 3 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 1, with the. lid of the
housing removed, in a closed position securing a wheel;
FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of the device of FIG.. 2 with the !id in
15 an open position; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of the device of FIG. 1 in a closed
position with the lid also in a closed position.
The locking device comprises a housing (1) having.a base (2), a front face
(3),
ars opposing roar faee (4), two opposing Qide faeesz (5,6) and a shaped hinged
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lid (7) (FIGS. 2 & 4). The Iid' (7) is hinged et the rear face (4) and is
shaped to,
meet the front face (3) thus, when in the closed position (FIG. 5), covering
the
interna}s of.the housing (1), A hold-down screw (7a) is used to secure the lid
(7) in a closed position, The front face (3) includes two openings (8,9) at
the
intersection of the respective front face (3) with the side faces (5,6), A
first
arm (10) has one end (11) passing through the opening (8) and secured to the
base (2) of the housing (1) by a pivot (12). The other end (1 3) of the arm
(10)
is essentially of arcuate configuration (14). A second arm (15) has one end
(16) passing through the opening (9) and secured to the -base (2) of the
housing (1) by a pivot (17), The other end (18) of the arm (15) is essentially
:I of arcuate configuration (19). The arms (10,15) are connected within the
housing (1) with the respective arcuate portions (14,19) curving inwards. A
linkage comprises three finks (20,21,22); the first link (20) is essentially L-
shaped with the head of the link connected by a pivot (23) to the first arm
(10)
approximately midway along that portion of the first arm (10) which is oxposed
from the housing (1), the foot of the link (20) being connected by a pivot
(24)
to the centre link (21); the othe'r end of the centre link (21) is connected
by a
pivot (25) to the foot of the substantiaily L-shaped link (22), the head of
the
link (22) being connected by a pivot (26) to the second arm (15) approximately
midway along that portion of the arm (15) exposed from the housing (1). The
centre link (21) is covered by a rolling sleeve (21a). The ends (11,16) of the
arms (10,15) are conn-ected by a series of piv+atabie links (27,28,29); a
curved
central link (28) is pivotally connected. to the base (2) of the hou.sing (1)
at
approximately its mid-point (30); a ffrst substantiaUy Iinear link (27) is
pivotaliy
connected at one end (31) to the curved link (28) and at its other end (32) to
the end (11) of the arm (10); a second substantially linear link (29) is
pivotally
connected at one end (33) to the other end of curved link (28) and at its
other
end (34) to the end (16) of the arm (15). A stop (35) extends upwards from
the base (2) of the housing (1) suffiaient for the and (11) of the arm (10) to
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abut thereto when the arms (10,15) are in an open position thus limiting the
outward movement of the arms (10,15), A tension spring (36) is secured at
ane end (37) to the base (2) of the housing (1) and at its other end (38) to
the
curved central link (28). A keyed pivoting looking mechanism (39) extending
inwards from the side (5) of the housing (1) includes a bar (40) which, when
i the arms (10,15) are in a closed position can abut the curved central link
(28j
preventing movement of the link (38), and thus the arms (10,15), to an open
p-osition,
In use, the locking mechanism (39) is an unlocked position and the arms
(10,1 5.) are in an open position as illustrated in FIG. 1. The wheel (41)
(FIG.
3) of a motor cycle is pushed against the rolling sleeve (21 a) of the centre
link
(21) towards the front face (3) of the housing (1), the interconnecting links
(20,22,27,28,29) thus assuming the closed position illustrated in FIG. 3 with
the arcuate portions (14,19) of the arms (10,15) securely flaryk.ing the rim
of
the wheel (41). The locking meohanism (39) is then turned to the locked
position and the key removed thus preventing movement of the arms (10, 15)
to any open position, In this closed posftion, the relative orientation of the
arms (10,15) to the leading face of the lid (7) substantiafiy restricts
movement
of the (id (7), oven if aocess to the hold-down screw (7a) is possible. To
release the wheel (41), the locking mechanism (39) is first unlocked and the
wheel (41) then moved in a directian away from the front face (3), the arms
(10,15) thus being moved by the wheel (41) in an outwards direction, the.
spring (38) assisting the pivoting of the finks (27,28,29) untii movement
Qfthe
end (11) of the arm (10) is arrested by the stop (35) and the arms (10,1 5)
have thus again assumed the open position illustrated in i=IG, 1.
The device of the present invention oan be effectively permainently secured
in position by, for exarnple, securina the device to a piate which ts holt.ed
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through to the ground, The heads of the bolts securing the device to the
ground are only accessible when the lid (7) is open, such accessibility not
being available when the device is in the locked position, thus adding to the
-overall security of the device. The device can thus be used in public places
such as shopping centre car parks where multiple of such devices could be
present and users could rent the use of a key to unlock the device.
!t will be appreciated that the above described embodiments are only
exemplification of the various aspects of the present invention and that
modifiGaticns and alterations can be made thereto, such as, the replacement
of the manually keyed locking mechanism with an electrically or electronically
operated locking mechanism and/or the inclusion of a lamp incorporated into
the device for ease of use during low light conditions. Such modifications and
alterations do not depart from the inventive concept as defined in the
following
ciaims.
